Cable connector assembly with internal printed circuit board
A cable connector assembly (1000) includes a housing defining a mating direction, and defining a mating interface (11) and a receiving space, a printed circuit board (3) received in the receiving space, and having a plurality of electrical pads (31, 32) formed thereon, the printed circuit board defining a mating portion (30) accessible from the mating interface, a cable (4) with a plurality of conductors electrically attached to the electrical pads of the printed circuit board, and interengaging means arranged between the housing and the printed circuit board for locking the printed circuit board towards the housing reliably.
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This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/268,951 filed on Nov. 7, 2005, invented by Jerry Wu, entitled “CABLE CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY WITH INTEGRAL PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD”, which is assigned to the same assignee as this application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable connector assembly, and more particularly to a cable connector assembly used for high-speed signal transmission.
2. Description of Related Art
A committee called SFF is an ad hoc group formed to address storage industry needs in a prompt manner. When formed in 1990, the original goals were limited to define de facto mechanical envelopes within disk drives can be developed to fit compact computer and other small products. Specification SFF-8087 defines physical interface and general performance requirements of the mating interface for a Compact Multilane Connector which is designed for using in high speed serial interconnect applications at speeds up to 10 Gigabits/second. The Compact Multilane Connector defined in the SFF-8087 comprises a printed circuit board, a plurality of high-speed cables and low-speed wires respectively electrically connected with the printed circuit board to form a plurality of junctions therebetween, a PVC housing overmolding to the printed circuit board and the cables. The PVC housing comprises a rectangular body portion enclosing the junctions and a pair of tongue portions respectively extending forwardly from the body portion. The front portion of the printed circuit board is exposed between the pair of tongue portions for electrically connecting with a complementary connector. The Compact Multilane Connector also comprises a latch member assembled to a top surface of the body portion of the housing for latching with the complementary connector.
However, PVC material is relatively soft and is not rigid, the printed circuit board received in the PVC housing may loose therefrom in a vibrative circumstance so as to influence an electrical connection. Furthermore, the specification generally defines electrical and mechanical requirements and high frequency performance requirements as well as outside connector dimensions for reference. Detailed structures of the connector are not provided, such as the connection between the printed circuit board and the housing, and the connector still has room to be improved for achieving perfect signal transmission effect or complying the requirements described in the SFF-8087 more coincidently.
Hence, an improved cable connector assembly is desired to address the problems stated above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector assembly for providing a reliable electrical connection with a complementary connector.
To achieve the above object, a cable connector assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a housing defining a mating direction, and defining a mating interface and a receiving space; a printed circuit board received in the receiving space, and having a plurality of electrical pads formed thereon, the printed circuit board defining a mating portion accessible from the mating interface; a cable with a plurality of conductors electrically attached to the electrical pads of the printed circuit board, and interengaging means arranged between the housing and the printed circuit board for locking the printed circuit board towards the housing reliably.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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The retaining portion 60 has a pair of transverse bar sections 600 respectively connecting with front edges of the locking portions 61, an engaging section 602 connecting with opposite inner ends of the pair of bar sections 600 and extending rearward from the bar sections 600, and a pair of positioning sections 604 respectively extending forwardly from front edges of the pair of bar sections 600. Outmost end of each bar section 600 extends beyond outmost edge of corresponding locking portion 61 and served as guiding means for the latch 6. The engaging section 602 is located between the pair of locking portions 61 and comprises a rectangular frame 6020 located in a horizontal surface and a pair of elastic snapping sections 6022 extending into the space circumscribed by the frame 6020 with distal ends bending upwardly. Each locking portion 61 comprises an inclined first section 612 extending rearward and upwardly from the retaining portion 60 and a flat second section 614 extending rearward from the first section 612 to connect with the intermediate portion 64. The inclined first section 612 defines a cutout therein for increasing flexibility thereof. The second section 614 is formed with a pair of latch sections 610 extending upwardly and rearward from a front portion thereof. A pair of stop sections 606 are respectively formed with the bar sections 600 and extend into the cutout (not labeled) of the first sections 612 and curve upwardly. The pressing portion 62 comprises a body section 620 and a pair of side beams 621 extending downwardly from opposite lateral ends of the body section 620. Each side beam 621 is formed with a spring tab 6210 extending outwardly therefrom. The body section 620 is formed with a plurality of ribs 6202 for facilitating handling. The supporting portion 63 defines a pair of rectangular openings 630 and forms a curved edge 631 at a free end thereof. The intermediate portion 64 defines a pair of elongated cutouts 640. The openings 630 and the cutouts formed in the second sections 614 of the locking portion 61 and the intermediate portion 64 are defined for perfect deformation of the locking portion 61 and the supporting portion 63.
Referring to
The second housing 2 is then over-molded to the first housing 1. During this molding process, the first housing 1 with the printed circuit board 3 and the cables 4 assembled therewith is located in a mold, the melted plastic material is injected into the receiving recess 17 of the first housing 1, encloses the rear portion 30′ of the printed circuit board 3 and the front ends of cables 4, concomitantly, also encloses junctions between the second conductive pads 32 and the conductors of the cables 4. The melted plastic material flows into the wedge-shape cuts 160, 130 and 142 and the guiding cuts 140 of the first housing 1, and the semi-circular positioning holes 34 of the printed circuit board 3. After a cooling process, the second housing 2 is provided. The forwardly-projecting holding portion 22 is received in the receiving recess 17 of the first housing 1, the guiding projections 220 are respectively engaging with the corresponding guiding cuts 140, the wedge-shape cuts 160, 130 and 142 are locking with the second housing 2 by means of a combination between the wedge-shape cuts 160, 130 and 142 and the cooling material for providing an enough grasp therebetween, these structures together are useful to attach the second housing 2 to the first housing 1 reliably. In addition, the through slot 23 of the second housing 2 formed from the molding process can receive the rear portion 30′ of the printed circuit board 3 therein. The receiving recess 17 of the first housing 1 and the through slot 23 of the second housing 2 together communicate with each other, functioned as the receiving space, for receiving the printed circuit board 3 therein. Noticeably, the printed circuit board 3 is wholly received in the receiving space and only accessible from the mating interface 11 of the first housing 1. In addition, the printed circuit board is integrally molded with the second housing 2 and cannot be separated from the second housing 2 easily. The first cables 40 and the second cables 41 are respectively received in corresponding first and second cable channels 201, 202. The junctions between the cables 40, 41 and the printed circuit board 3 are integrally over-molded by the second housing 2.
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The complementary connector has corresponding structure locking with the pair of latch sections 610 of the latch 6 to realize the reliable engagement with the cable connector assembly 100. When the cable connector assembly 100 is to be separated from the complementary connector, a downward pressing force is exerted on the pressing portion 62 of the latch 6. The pressing portion 62 moves downwardly until the body section 620 contacts with the pivot portion 2110 of the second housing 2 and the locking portion 61 creates a vertical displacement toward the first housing 1. The body section 1620 then becomes curve toward the second housing 2 under the pressing force with the locking portion 161 creating a further vertical displacement. The retaining portion 60 engaging with the first housing 1 and the supporting portion 63 pressing on the second housing 2, thus, together form a girder. The vertical displacement of the locking portion 61, particularly the latch sections 610, is big enough to realize the unlock between the cable connector assembly 100 and the complementary connector easily.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
Claims
1. A cable connector assembly for mating with a complementary connector, comprising:
- a housing defining a mating direction; and defining a mating interface and a receiving space, the mating interface comprising a pair of tongues extending a pre-selected distance from the housing, and an opening defined between the pair of tongues;
- a printed circuit board received in the receiving space, and having a plurality of electrical pads formed thereon, the printed circuit board defining a mating portion received in the opening, and spaced from and being parallel to the pair of tongues;
- a cable with a plurality of conductors electrically attached to the electrical pads of the printed circuit board; wherein
- said printed circuit board defines at least one circular through hole, and said housing defines respective locking noses commonly extending into said through hole; wherein
- the housing comprises a step tongue extending from a front inner surface thereof and into a receiving recess with a plurality of wedge-shape cuts therein.
2. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a first housing, and a second housing integrally over-molded with the first housing along the mating direction, the first housing and second housing together define the above receiving space.
3. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a longitudinal guiding slot that receives at least one side edge of the printed circuit board, and a transverse receiving slot communicating with the opening through which said printed circuit board extends to expose the mating portion thereof into the opening of the mating interface.
4. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the locking noses are arranged at two sides of the receiving slot respectively along a direction perpendicular to the mating direction, and form a distance large enough to allow the printed circuit board to be inserted in.
5. A cable connector assembly for mating with a complementary connector, comprising:
- a housing defining a front half and a rear half assembled together;
- a printed circuit board having a front portion disposed in the front half and a rear portion disposed in the rear half; and
- a cable with a plurality of conductors electrically connected to printed circuit board; wherein
- said printed circuit board defines at least one through hole, and said front half and said rear half define respective projections commonly extending into and sharing and fully filling said through hole.
6. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the projection of the front half is formed before extending into the through hole while the projection of the rear half is formed via overmolding said through hole under a condition that the projection of the front half already extends into said through hole.
7. A cable connector assembly for mating with a mating connector, comprising:
- a connector housing, the connector housing including a front surface, and a first tongue extending from the front surface;
- a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board including a mating portion with electrical pads for mating with the mating connector, and a rear portion with electrical pads for termination to a plurality of cables, said printed circuit board being disposed in said connector housing such that the mating portion of the printed circuit board extends from the front surface and spaces apart from the first tongue, the rear portion of the printed circuit board being disposed within said connector housing;
- a plurality of cables terminated to electrical pads of the said rear portion of the printed circuit board; wherein
- said printed circuit board includes a plurality of through boles, said connector housing includes a plurality of locking noses, the locking noses commonly engages with said through holes from upper and lower surfaces of the printed circuit board respectively; wherein
- the connector housing comprises a longitudinal guiding slot that receives at least one side edge of said printed circuit board, and a transverse receiving slot through which said printed circuit board extends to expose the mating portion forwardly of said front surface of the connector housing; wherein said locking noses are disposed at two sides of the transverse receiving slot respectively in a lateral views with each locking nose including a post, wherein the posts disposed at one side of the transverse receiving slot direct to a reverse direction when compared with that disposed at the other side of the transverse receiving slot.
8. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the through holes of the printed circuit board arrange in a transverse line and within the inner thereof, and the through holes are flanked with respective posts formed on said locking noses.
9. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the connector housing has upper and lower walls defining a plurality of wedge-shape cuts for allowing a moldable insulative material to fill in.
10. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein each post includes an angled lead-in configuration for guiding an insertion of said printed circuit board.
11. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the connector housing includes a first connector housing which defines a receiving recess by upper and lower walls thereof, and a second connector housing which includes a main portion, and a forwardly-projecting holding portion stepped relative to the main portion and received in the receiving recess.
12. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the housing comprises a step tongue extending from a front inner surface thereof and into the receiving recess with a plurality of wedge-shape cuts therein.
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- “SFF-8087 Specification for Compact Multilane Unshielded Connector” Rev. 1.31, published on Jun. 27, 2005 by SFF Committee.
Type: Grant
Filed: Dec 30, 2005
Date of Patent: Nov 6, 2007
Patent Publication Number: 20070155218
Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd. (Taipei Hsien)
Inventor: Jerry Wu (Irvine, CA)
Primary Examiner: Alexander Gilman
Attorney: Wei Te Chung
Application Number: 11/322,744
International Classification: H01R 13/627 (20060101);